At Channel Magazine we love celebrating the achievers in our community. One such person is Barfoot & Thompson real estate dynamo Nadja Court. She’s a champion in her field and also a champion in the community.
At the recent Barfoot and Thompson 2019 Awards Nadja was once again a winner on the night – being named their number one partnership and also the top agent in the Mairangi Bay office. This ongoing success is not fluke. It really is all about hard work. Channel Magazine’s Aidan Bennett talked to Nadja about her ongoing success in late May.
AIDAN BENNETT: A big congratulations on your recent accolades, you must be thrilled with the success?
NADJA COURT: It's fantastic to be appreciated, absolutely. No success is ever achieved alone, it's years of hard work, strong relationships and amazing support. I am very lucky to have that in Meegan, my personal assistant who runs the whole administration side which allows me to focus on what I do best which is listing and selling property over a wide area, but predominantly here on the North Shore. We form a strong team but have fun together too along the way!
AB: We understand you have celebrated the two decade milestone in the business as well. Tell us about that journey?
NC: I started with the company in 1999 as a rookie - pretty green, naive and no idea of anything except a passion for the North Shore, an interest in people and an innate curiosity about human nature. My mum is driven and tenacious and brought me up to never give up – a skill that’s stood me in good stead over the years as real estate is often tough and unforgiving. As the market has changed, owners are under more pressure, buyers are tougher and it’s an ever evolving market to negotiate through. A lot of empathy is needed!
On the other side I have met some amazing people, and formed great friendships with clients and colleagues who truly are like family. Every day is different, I know the North Shore market intimately, I meet new people daily, and I am always learning. I now also enjoy being able to give back to the industry by mentoring other budding agents. I still love the thrill of the chase, finding the perfect buyer for a home I am marketing for my owners and ensuring the whole process is as easy and stress free for both parties. It’s what it’s all about, happy clients and customers – sometimes so difficult to achieve, occasionally easy, but every day brings something different. It’s never ever boring.
20 years on, I can honestly say real estate is in my blood, I live and breath it and still get excited about going to work.
AB: Why have you stayed with Barfoot and Thompson for so long?
NC: I value loyalty highly. The values of Barfoot and Thompson are aligned to mine. They are family to me after so long. I feel part of something, a strong network. Mairangi Bay – where I am based – is where I live and work. It's very central and provides easy access to the whole of the North Shore.
Our office really is like a family. My manager, Emma, and I have been working together for 20 years so we know each other extremely well!
AB: What are your secrets to success?
NC: I love what I do – they say if you love what you do, you never feel like you're going to work. I am naturally driven, competitive and solution based. I also care about the little details as I want to do my absolute best for my owners at all times. If things aren’t working I try something different. One of my strengths is lateral thinking. I am tenacious and won’t give up ,
AB: The market has changed a bit over the past 12 months. What are the trends you are seeing in your particular market?
NC: The market has softened significantly but property still sells. We don’t have the crazy market we had but are back to a stable, solid real estate market. Buyers have more time now to fully assess the market, weigh up different options and make the best buying decisions for them. Some buyers feel the market will soften further and are waiting when really now is the perfect time to make the transition to a new home. Interest rates are at an all time low, there is good supply and affordability is much more within reach where as in the past few years there just wasn't those conditions.
Owners who are realistic and want to move are still achieving optimum prices if their properties are marketed well.
AB: Is there a particular method of selling that is working better at the moment for vendors?
NC: We are achieving the best results with Auction – if buyers know the property they are interested in may sell on a set date they are more likely to move quickly and ensure they are in a cash position. In this market having cash in your pocket puts you in a very strong negotiating position.
AB: You seem to enjoy doing a lot of travelling around the world. Do you have a favourite destination overseas, and why is it a favourite?
NC: I do love to escape over the horrid winter days to some warmth and sun. My favourites to date are Cuba and India. Love the music, colours and the people.
AB: What is your favourite holiday destination to holiday in New Zealand and why?
NC: In New Zealand my all time favourites are Great Barrier Island and Wanaka. The Barrier is just bliss being there with my family and friends. The beach, tramping, fishing,amazing surf and fun nights playing games. At Wanaka I love the mountains, the lake and skiing - I value that it's not too big and busy.
AB: Complete the following…
NC: My big achievement in 2019 is going to be… helping vendors achieve their goals in this much tougher market. It's a market such as this where experience really comes to the fore and it's the skills, especially my strong negotiation skills, I've developed through various real estate cycles which will enable me to provide vendors with the sale they need to move on with their plans. Experience is everything!
